Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama volleyball team defeated Georgia Southern in four sets (25-16, 25-15, 20-25, 25-21) in a Sun Belt Conference East Division match Saturday at Jaguar Gym.

South Alabama (14-6, 7-1 SBC) extended its home win streak to 10 games with the victory, which also marked its seventh straight over Georgia Southern (12-6, 5-3 SBC). Carissa Bradford finished with a career-high 19 kills and a .304 hitting percentage, and Niki Capizzi recorded 13 kills and a .300 hitting percentage to lead the Jaguar attack. Kailey Keeble finished with a game-high 54 assists.

GAME FACTS
Set 1
- South Alabama broke a 4-4 tie with a 7-0 scoring run that featured two kills apiece by Bradford and Niki Wallace for an 11-4 advantage.
- The Jags pushed their lead to 15-7 after a kill by Hannah Maddux, service ace from Madisen Werdell and kill by Wallace.
- USA went on a 4-0 run, highlighted by a block-assist by Capizzi and Keeble, to take a 21-9 lead.
- Georgia Southern used a 3-0 run to cut the Jag lead to 21-13.
- South Alabama earned set point at 24-15 on a block-assist by Wallace and Keeble, and clinched the set 25-16 on an Eagle service error for a 1-0 lead in the match.

Set 2
- USA took a 9-7 lead after a kill by Wallace. Georgia Southern then tied the score 9-9 following a Jaguar service error and kill by Maddie Bryant.
- The Jags responded with a 3-0 run, which included a kill by Capizzi and service ace by Paige Lynn, to take a 12-9 lead.
- The Eagles cut the Jag lead to 12-10 on a Jaguar attack error, but South Alabama answered with an 8-0 run, 
highlighted by four kills by Capizzi and two service aces from Maddie Soboleski, to double its lead at 20-10.
- USA later earned set point at 24-14 on a kill by Maddux, and clinched the set 25-15 on a kill by Maddux for a 2-0 lead in the match.

Set 3
- The Jaguars took a 2-1 lead after a kill by Maddux before the Eagles went on a 6-0 run to take a 7-2 lead.
- USA answered with a 3-0 run that featured a pair of kills by Capizzi to cut the Eagle lead to 7-5.
- Georgia Southern used a 3-0 run, aided by two Jaguar attack errors, to take a 21-15 lead.
- The Eagles later earned set point at 24-20 on a kill by Baylor Bumford, and clinched the set 25-20 on a block-assist from Mya Wilson and Jillian Gray.

Set 4
-  A 3-0 Jaguar run that included a kill and service ace by Soboleski gave USA a 6-4 lead.
- Consecutive kills from Bradford and a service ace by Juanita Monteiro-Pai accounted for a 3-0 Jag run that gave USA a 9-5 advantage.
- A kill by Maddux gave the Jags a 12-8 lead before the Eagles went on a 4-0 run to tie the score 12-12.
- Georgia Southern went on a 3-0 run to take a 15-14 lead, but a kill by Soboleski tied the score 15-15.
- The Jags faced a two-point deficit before going on a 3-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Capizzi and solo block by Keeble, to take an 18-17 lead.
- The Eagles tied the score 19-19 on a kill by Gray, but the Jags responded with a 5-0 run to earn match point at 24-19 on a kill by Bradford. USA clinched the set 25-21 on a kill by Bradford.

NOTES
- Bradford finished with a career-high 19 kills, .304 hitting percentage, three digs and one solo block.
- Capizzi recorded 13 kills, .300 hitting percentage, one service ace, two digs and two block-assists.
- Soboleski added 10 kills, three service aces and eight digs, and Maddux finished with 10 kills, four digs and two block-assists.
- Rachel Hickey recorded a game-high 21 digs, and also added one assist, and Lynn finished with 13 digs and one service ace.
- Keeble finished with 54 assists, two kills, one service ace, eight digs, one solo block and three block-assists.
- Monteiro-Pai tied Soboleski with a game-high three service aces. Werdell added two service aces, nine digs and one assist.
- USA recorded 11 service aces for the second straight match.
- South Alabama extended its home win streak to 10 games with the win, dating back to last year's three-match series with Georgia Southern. It also marked the seventh straight win over the Eagles in the series.


QUOTES
Head Coach Jesse Ortiz
- On the win:
"We just played at a high level. We were super efficient. In sets one and two we were just a machine. It was amazing watching them (team) go. Every team in the Sun Belt (Conference) is formidable, and we knew they (Georgia Southern) were going to answer back. I just really appreciate how the team kept its composure and how hard they kept on fighting. I am really proud of my group on that."

- On the team's success at home:
"A lot of the gyms we go to are big arenas, just really vast. When you have someone that is used to that and you can confine them in a smaller space, it's tough to play and can get a little claustrophobic in here. Tucked away in a corner with our fans going crazy and us being a machine out there, I think it wears on teams and Jag Gym is definitely a place we love to play. We are happy to be back this weekend, because we have been on the road a lot."

- On the attack:
"(Carissa) Bradford had a phenomenal night. She tore it up and (Kailey) Keeble is just amazing; my setter is awesome. Hannah Maddux being the force that she is, and Kennedy (Wallace) and Niki (Capizzi) demand respect so you have to honor them on the middles – it makes us hard to stop."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action Tue., Oct. 19, when it faces Troy in a Sun Belt Conference East Division match at 6 p.m. in Troy, Ala.  

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Rally Score Club, the volleyball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Rally Score Club go directly to support the South Alabama volleyball program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/rallyscoreclub.